As Democrats try to regain control of the U.S. House, come November, they are shifting their focus into a former far-right leader and staunch Trump ally— Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry.
Perry, the former head of the far-right Freedom Caucus, represents Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District. In November, he will be facing Democratic challenger and former TV reporter and anchor, Janelle Stelson, whose campaign has focused on blaming him for the failure to solve the border crisis, him backing restrictions on abortion and his role in trying to overturn the 2020 election results.
"He, in no way, shape or form, represents Republicans anymore— he's so extreme," Stelson, a former Republican herself, said in an interview at Cornerstone Coffeehouse in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
"It's all part of the same partisan nonsense. Most people... they just want better lives for their families, their children. They want to be able to afford things. They want good-paying jobs. We need to be educated, we need to be safe, we need to be healthy," she continued. "All these things that he has not been able to help accomplish because he's so extreme."
Democrats have tried to oust the six-term Congressman over several cycles. But they haven't come close. In 2022, Perry easily defeated Harrisburg City Council member Shamaine Daniels by 7.6 points, the same year popular Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Josh Shapiro won the district by 12 points.
But this year seems different for challengers. A recent poll by Susquehanna Polling & Research conducted between Oct. 4-7, showed Stelson with a 9-percentage point lead at 48% to Perry's 39%.
At the same time, she raised more than three times than he did in the quarter that ended Sept. 30, having amassed $2.85 million compared to his $853,000. NBC News also reports that national Democrats like that she's a Washington outsider and a trusted voice running against an incumbent with lots of baggage but also someone who has built-in name ID because of her tenure in local television.
Johnson's right-wing group has led numerous revolts against leadership over government spending and the debt ceiling, even forcing former Speaker Kevin McCarthy to go through 15 grueling ballots to be elected in January 2023.
Nevertheless, Republicans are determined to not go down without a fight.
A super PAC linked to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has reportedly put more than $200,000 into ad reservations. Perry's primary basis of support so far have been House Freedom Action— the political arm of the House Freedom Caucus— and Win It Back PAC, which have spent over $600,000 and $900,000 for him, respectively, Axios reports.
Also, registered Republicans still outnumber Democrats in the district. Former President Trump beat President Joe Biden in the southern central Pennsylvania district in 2020 by more than 4 percentage points, and he's expected to win again.
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